1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operation control program, an operation control method, and an image forming apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a technology for executing plural kinds of jobs such as copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
A complex machine, which is a kind of image forming apparatuses, uses a common hardware resource for executing plural kinds of jobs such as copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile transmission. Therefore, as compared to a case where the jobs are realized separate hardwares, a cost can be reduced, and a space can be saved.
As an example of such complex machine, as shown in JP 2002-84383, there has been disclosed an image forming apparatus in which, a universal operating system (universal OS) such as UNIX (registered trademark) is used, and a common program used for each of applications related to jobs of copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile transmission and the universal OS constitute a platform which is shared at a time of operating the applications, so that the number of program steps of each application is reduced so as to enhance program development efficiency.
However, although the technology adopted in the image forming apparatus described above reduces the number of program steps of each application and enhances the program development efficiency, it still includes separate applications for the jobs, and the platform merely bundles common functions of applications related to the jobs. Accordingly, at a time of changing a content of each job, easiness in changing a design of an application for realizing the job is not necessarily sufficient. Due to multi-functionalization of an image forming apparatus, the number of kinds of jobs increases, and the applications increase in number and get complex. Therefore, it is desired to further enhance easiness in changing a design of applications which realizes each job. It should be understood that the job mentioned herein is originally a unit of job which is to be executed by a computer according to a user's request.